Fiction TV

It might not be in the same league as Dan Rather screwing the pooch over a memo that turned out to be "not real" (although the hoax memo apparently reflects the alleged author's real opinions of the time).

But the folks at ESPN seem to have been playing fast and loose with the play of key hands in their coverage of the World Series of Poker. There were numerous reports that in ESPN's coverage of the 2003 WSOP, the play of certain hands were, ahem, creatively recreated. Now, though, Paul Phillips has caught ESPN in a continuity error that clearly indicates that the hand in question was depicted with edited footage:

1) Hmmm, what do I have again?

2) How did these chips materialize in my right hand? They weren't there a couple frames ago. And if Phil Hellmuth has just re-raised me, why are there no chips in front of him and why does he look so uninvolved?

3) Oh good, I still have JT. I've put over 20K into this pot so far, I have trip jacks, and I have only 40K left. I guess I'll... fold? That doesn't sound like me.

4) Still, I decide to fold. Hey, those chips that had just materialized in my right hand have now disappeared! Ah well, easy come easy go.

5) See you later, trip jacks. I hope the magical teleporting chips return someday.

On 2+2, Paul explains why, even before he found the continuity error, he thought ESPN's producers faked this hand:

* the improbability of the laydown
* the improbability of the laydown FROM THAT PLAYER
* the improbability of the turn re-raise
* the improbability of the turn re-raise FROM THAT PLAYER
* tony's body language when he folded
* the fact that we know they faked other hands
* the fact that we know they faked other hands SOMETIMES EVEN WHEN THE CARDS WERE FLIPPED UP!

You all noticed, didn't you, that the WSOP broadcasts are presented by "ESPN Original Entertainment"? If I learned that (say) Survivor was fixed, I wouldn't think twice; and in fact it's pretty likely that Survivor's producers have their thumbs on the scales. What this WSOP video indicates is that ESPN's producers view television poker on the same level of importance as reality TV.